Wait, just a moment.
Stay a minute more.
Take this with you, please.

Listen,

I’ve seen you

begging in the streets,
dancing of your own volition,
digging through the refuse of souls,
sloughing your own skin,
reaching for the horizon,
tracing ancient trails of light,
railing against the coming night;

rebelling for the sake of rebellion,

feeding until your heart splits open,
giving until your heart is barren,

pierced,
crucified,
hurt,
shamed,

chasing redemption rising on the wind,
screaming into the dark,
drowning in tears,
broken upon the years,

and sitting in silence,
wondering.

So
here we stand.

Are you not the still same child
who gazed up in awe
at the stars?

I’ll tell you why:
you were born of them.

Yes, the world has watched you
through the eyes of judgment.

And I have
also
sold my body
and my soul
and was broken
open,
treading unto dawn.

Love waits. Love is.

You owe nothing.

Take my hand.